[HOE] Bio-dome2 Drop-outs

[VCVet@aol.com]

For those of you who read closely, you might have noticed a reference to 
blood rose creepers on p. 20--The World Below.  These creatures were left 
out, as were their progeny, which were supposed to be in place of the zombies 
in the basement.  Their stats are as follows (thanks to Matt Stefflik for the 
write-ups):

Blood Rose Creeper
    The Blood Rose Creeper is one of the many horrific results of genetic 
experimentation conducted under the influence of the Reckoners by Dr. 
Gersholm.  Its genetic lineage is much debated, although it obviously has 
bloodvine and the common rose somewhere in its "family tree".  The Creeper is 
found in the moist, temperate clime found amongst the riot of plant life in 
the Rainforest biome.  It resembles a large mass of thick, clinging vines and 
leaves of a rich deep green coloration, strewn with heavy, rose-like blossoms 
of various sizes, usually of a red or yellow hue.  The blossoms even give off 
a heady scent not unlike that of a rose. The vines of the creeper are covered 
with small, barbed thorns, and seem to constantly sway to and fro as if from 
the wind.  Close examination of the blooms will reveal that the petals are 
hard, and at the center of each blossom is a black, pulsing fleshy sac that 
is almost brain-like in appearance.
    The Creeper has a predator's intelligence, can sense movement and heat in 
its immediate vicinity, and has an impressive striking range with its vines.  
It specifically hunts warm-blooded prey.  When attacking, vines snake off of 
the main mass at considerable speed and buffet a target with an effect 
similar to that of a cat-o-nine-tails, trying to catch and burrow into the 
target's flesh.  Once imbedded into the flesh, the vines will continue to 
burrow inward, dissolving flesh and sinew as they go with a caustic agent, 
causing considerable pain and damage as they do so. The liquefied matter is 
the prime nutrient of the Creeper.  This burrowing and liquefaction process 
of course kills the target in a relatively short amount of time.  Upon the 
target's death, the vines will continue to burrow into the corpse, splitting 
and multiplying, knotting and twisting around the skeletal system and 
replacing muscle and organs as it feeds.  Upon reaching the head and 
absorbing the brain, the vines burst the skull into gory fragments, and a 
large, rose-like bloom will grow from out of the exposed neck.  This "head 
sized" bloom will be red or yellow in color, with hard, ridge like petals, 
but will otherwise resemble the smaller blooms on the Creeper.  Once this 
bloom has formed, the body will animate and separate itself from the rest of 
the Creeper, forming a Blooming Corpse, which will then begin to move and 
hunt for more prey (this is the rather disturbing fashion the Creeper 
reproduces). This process takes one hour for each size increment of the 
corpse (i.e. a size 6 corpse would take 6 hours).  Blooming Corpses typically 
last for 4+1d4 days before bursting/collapsing and becoming a new Blood Rose 
Creeper plant.

Corporeal: D: 2d6, N: 3d10, Q: 4d8, S: 4d6, V: 3d10
Fightin' brawlin': 4d10, sneak: 4d10
Mental: C: 4d8, K: 2d4, M: 4d10, Sm: 3d6, Sp: 3d10
Search: 4d8, overawe: 4d10
Pace: 0
Size: 2 (vines), 8 (creeper plant)
Wind: NA
Terror: 7
Special Abilities:
Damage: The Creeper's vines can range up to 20 yards away from the main 
plant, and strike using fightin' brawlin' skill and do Str+1d4 damage.  If a 
vine causes a wound, it can make a Nimbleness roll (TN 5) on the same action 
to attempt burrowing into a wound.  If successful, the vine will move slowly 
into the wound and begins the dissolving process, causing an additional wound 
to the location at the end of each turn. Removing a vine from a wound 
requires an opposed strength roll vs. the vine.  A success removes the vine, 
but causes an automatic additional wound.  Severed vines can live up to an 
hour separated from the main plant, longer if provided with sustenance. If a 
burrowing vine is severed, it will continue to burrow and dissolve, feeding 
and growing as it goes.  A creeper typically has 20 to 30 such vines, which 
take damage according to their size.  Neither the vines nor the plant itself 
take wind.  
Scent: Anyone approaching or caught downwind of a Blood Rose Creeper without 
some sort of artificial breathing or protection must make an easy (TN 3) 
Smarts roll, or become enamored with the scent of the blossoms and approach 
the plant.
Weaknesses: The Blood Rose Creeper is very susceptible to both extreme heat 
and cold, taking double damage from all such attacks.  Also, each Creeper has 
one slightly larger central blossom (TN 9 on an active search roll to 
determine which one it is) which functions as the "brain" of the plant, and 
it's hard ridged petals act have an AV of 1.  If the Creeper takes 5 wounds 
to this location, the plant will die (treat as a "head" shot). 
Description: See above.

Bloomin' Corpse
    A Bloomin' Corpse is the disturbing side effect of a Blood Rose Creeper's 
reproduction process.  While individual examples vary according to the type 
and species of the Creeper's original victim (Size, Pace, etc.), each 
Bloomin' Corpse is made from a warm-blooded creature, and looks exactly like 
the creature did in life but for two major differences.  Firstly, it has a 
number of thorny, waving vines jutting from the flesh of various parts of its 
body that move of their own volition (number equal to 2 times its size, 
statistics the same as Blood Rose Creeper).  Second, in place of the head is 
a large, head-sized (in accordance to the size of the creature) floral bloom 
(red or yellow in hue) resembling a rose with a black, pulsating sack at its 
center.
    A Bloomin' Corpse is mobile with a slow, shuffling gait (uses half of the 
original creature's pace).  It has the same inherent abilities of the Blood 
Rose Creeper, including scent (which conveniently masks the smell of decaying 
skin and tissue) and the ability to detect heat and motion.  Once detected, 
it will pursue prey doggedly and without tiring. Bloomin' Corpses have the 
same weaknesses as the Blood Rose Creeper.  If no prey is detected in the 
immediate vicinity, the Bloomin' Corpse will choose a random direction and 
begin walking.  Once created, a Bloomin' Corpse will typically last for 4+1d4 
days before it bursts or collapses.  Where the corpse falls upon collapsing, 
a new Blood Rose Creeper plant will take root and grow (it even brings its 
own fertilizer).  Bloomin' Corpses are not considered undead.
(Stats for a human Bloomin' Corpse)
Corporeal: D: 2d8, N: 2d8, Q: 3d10, S: 2d10, V: 3d8
Fightin' brawlin': 4d8, sneak: 3d8
Mental: C: 2d10, K: 1d4, M: 1d6, Sm: 3d6, Sp: 1d4
Search: 3d10, overawe: 4d6
Pace: 4
Size: 6
Wind: NA
Terror: 9
Special Abilities:
Damage: The Corpse's vines can range up to 5 yards away from the body, and 
strike using fightin' brawlin' skill and do Str+1d4 damage.  If a vine causes 
a wound, it can make a Nimbleness roll (TN 5) on the same action to attempt 
burrowing into a wound.  If successful, the vine will move slowly into the 
wound and begins the dissolving process, causing an additional wound to the 
location at the end of each turn. Removing a vine from a wound requires an 
opposed strength roll vs. the vine.  A success removes the vine, but causes 
an automatic additional wound.  Severed vines can live up to an hour 
separated from the main plant, longer if provided with sustenance. If a 
burrowing vine is severed, it will continue to burrow and dissolve, feeding 
and growing as it goes.  A corpse typically has 5 to 10 such vines, which 
take damage according to their size.  Neither the vines nor the corpse itself 
take wind.  
Scent: Anyone approaching or caught downwind of a Bloomin' Corpse without 
some sort of artificial breathing or protection must make an easy (TN 3) 
Smarts roll, or become enamored with the scent of the blossoms and approach 
the plant.
Weaknesses: The Bloomin' Corpse is very susceptible to both extreme heat and 
cold, taking double damage from all such attacks.  The Corpse has a central 
blossom in place of the original body's head which functions as the "brain" 
of the plant, and it's hard ridged petals act have an AV of 1.  Shots to this 
area add two dice to damage, and if the Corpse takes a maiming wound to this 
location it will die (treat as a "head" shot). 
Description: See above.

Jay Kyle